Archive for November, 2017

Once again we find ourselves at the beginning of yet another Holiday season and like clockwork Pound4Pound will start the award season with it’s ever popular Turkey Of The Year Award, also known as The Golden Bird.

This year the prize goes to tandem recipients. These two fighters went out of their way to earn the coveted honor. Quoting Kosmo Kramer, “Mother Nature is a mad scientist!”

Without hesitation this years award goes to the fighting Charlo brothers, Jermall and Jermell.

While Jermall was busy beating the tar out of a one legged man (Jorge Sebastian Heiland) in a butt kicking contest, Jermall’s only fight in 2017, his brother Jermell had a whopping two fights in 2017 with his signature fight coming via one round KO over Erickson Lubin, a fighter whom we warned you was not the hot prospect many were led to believe he was.

For all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the twin brothers these accomplishments were mediocre at best.

The real shame here is that both of these guys are pretty talented young men whose lack of activity and big mouths have earned them little or no respect in the boxing community. In recent interviews both brothers have complained about this lack of respect but neither one is willing to take responsibility for their less than warm receptions.

If I were advising the brothers I would tell them to up the activity rate, let their fists do the talking in the ring and to keep their Sweet Potato Pie Holes shut.

On a side note, ripping off your shirt in public and challenging a woman to go “Mano a Mano” is also not doing you any favors.

When I heard Artur Beterbiev was going to be fighting for the Light Heavyweight title just a stone’s throw away from my home in Los Angeles I figured I would be making another trek to Las Vegas. Much to my surprise and dismay I found out the battle for the title would take place in Fresno, California. I must admit that announcement took the wind right out of my sails…so to speak.

But because of Beterbiev’s Montreal connection and my love for all things Quebec I was bound and determined to head to Central California no matter what. Beterbiev, whose name is not necessarily on the tips of everyone tongues yet, was taking on the lesser known Enrico Koelling for the vacant IBF 175 strap. As far as title fights go this one was flying way under the radar.

But in the Main Event on the ESPN televised show was none other than Fresno’s Jose Carlos Ramirez in a battle against Mike Reed. Both were undefeated and looking to grab a Lightweight Title.

Ramirez filled the house at the Save Mart Arena and I came to find out that Fresno is one of the better fight cities in North America. These fans were knowledgeable and when it came to blowing off the roof, few cities can compare.

The Top Rank promoted show went off without a hitch. Earlier in the week Top Rank’s Lee Samuels told me this was a “very interesting and high action card” and he was right. With the report that the ESPN televised card was a huge ratings success it seems more than likely that Fresno is going to be the home of some very important fights in 2018.

Hotel accommodations notwithstanding, I think I heard one of the officials call it The Bates Motel, the weekend was superb and I can’t wait to head north on the 99 again soon.

Did I mention Beterbiev and Ramirez left with their undefeated records intact and were sporting new leather around their waists? They were a knockout success too!

I am not a Nutritionist but for the sake of argument allow me to play one here on the internet.

When Jim Grey was conducting his pre-fight interview with Bermane Stiverne Saturday night the usually feisty interviewer targeted the challenger’s weight reminding Stiverne that the last time he fought Deontay he was over 14 pounds lighter and if there should be some concern here.

Stiverne responded by telling Grey in the last fight he was dehydrated but for this fight he did not go through the cutting weight ritual and he feels much better. Stiverne shared that there was no problem at all. He further explained that he weighed himself prior to the weigh in and he weighed 247 pounds. After that said he went and had breakfast and at the weigh in he hit the scale at over 254 pounds.

Skreeeeech!!

What the ……?

How for the love of Guacamole did the normally cantankerous Grey not let fly with something along the lines of, “Wait a minute Bermane, you’re trying to tell me you ate a seven pound breakfast? How in the heck did you do that? And better yet…why?”

Allow me to speculate.

The “why” is easy.

Stiverne is a lazy waste of talent who saw a payday and a World title at his disposal. The payday made him salivate like dog licking his chops over a meaty bone but the title was of no interest to him all.

The “how” is up to conjecture, but allow me to take a stab at it.

Stiverne, who is obviously no stranger to the breakfast table heard about the Seven Pound Breakfast Burrito Challenge and knew he was just the man to conquer this battle, (It’s certainly the only battle he cares about). With his sights set firmly on his gut and that seven pound Chimichanga the last thing on Stirvene’s mind was Wilder or his World title.

It goes without saying that after a meal like that it was easy for Wider to dump, (that’s a poor choice of words), Stiverne on the seat of his pants 3 times in less than one round.

All kidding aside, The New York Athletic Commission should withhold Berman’s purse pending further investigation. There is no way this guy prepared properly for this shot at the WBC Belt. It’s another cash grab by an unworthy fighter. A situation that has become all too common in professional boxing.

Something else that is becoming all too common is the string of bums that Wilder is putting in the ring in front of him only to pop off afterwards that he only wants to fight the best of the best, blah, blah, blah.

Whether or not Wilder’s PED laced foes are taking Performance Enhancing Drugs or Performance Enhancing Doughnuts the fact remains his hit list is about as impressive as his footwork. If you’ve seen him fight you know what I mean.

This weekend’s Heavyweight title fight was a farce long before the bell rang and you can thank The PBC for that.

If they think they are fooling boxing fans with this Dog and Pony show all they have to do is run a lap around some social media chat rooms and they will find out people in the know aren’t buying into this pile of rubbish.

Better yet, just take an exit poll at the next local fight of your choice. Ask the boxing fans who the heavyweight champion of the world is.

Just based on Wider’s recent statement I hope his demise is only hours away. On facing Stiverne for the second time Wilder ungraciously spouted out this diddy, “Somebody will die in that ring come November 4, I beat him to an inch of his life the first time. This time, I’ma end his life.”

Considering the near life ending moments we have seen in the ring lately, Daniel Franco & Magomed Abdusalamov come to mind immediately, I find this statement to be distasteful and uncalled for. Based on that statement alone I hope Karma jumps up and bites him on his glass chin tonight and we get a new WBC Heavyweight Champ.

While Wilder is telling us, “All the top guys have ducked me,” and “The only thing people care about is the best fighting the best,” the fact of the matter is the only opponents Wilder has targeted lately were so old and past their prime that they tried to resort to illegal performance enhancing drugs to even the playing field.

Anytime Anthony Joshua’s name comes up Wilder starts on some excuse parade claiming it’s Joshua and his people who are ducking him. Trust me, everyone is well aware of who represents Wilder and knows who is avoiding who, so stop the charade. Heck, Beyonce won’t even fight Joshua Parker…so don’t buy into the line of bull he is trying to sell.

So now we are stuck with Wilder taking on Bermane Stiverne, a fighter he has already beat. Wilder is trying to Smoke and Mirror us by saying, “This is my mandatory opponent. I must face him and that’s just what it is. I’ve called out every name in the sport. All the top guys have ducked me, so I just have to take care of the people that are able to get in the ring.”

Trust me, Wilder’s promoter/manager/advisor Al Haymon has the WBC deep in his pockets and Wilder could have faced anyone in the top ten if he really wanted to, but he chose Stiverne. That fact in and of itself speaks volumes.

In the meantime, Stiverne is the only fighter to go the distance with Wilder and is hoping for redemption in the rematch. Truthfully, the fact that Bermane is coming in almost 15 pounds heavier than the last time the two squared off doesn’t give me a lot of hope. But we saw what Stiverne did to Arreola twice, so maybe a victory for Bermane is not as far-fetched as Team Wilder would like you to believe.

On his chance for revenge Stiverne says, “The stage is set and my destiny is in front of me. I always said I was going to be the first person to beat him, and that is going to come together on Saturday. Deontay is going to be in for a real rude awakening on Saturday. I’m going to let my fists do the talking for me.”

I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say that nothing would please more than to see Stiverne land a flush shot directly Wilder’s chin and then watch Beyonce do the chicken dance before crumbling to the canvas. If Karma comes into play that is exactly what is going to happen.

That being said, hear me loud and clear when I say I’ma not looking to see anyone’s life ended. That would be rude and extremely uncalled for.